Some Wells Fargo customers around the Clarion area received a difficult letter in the mail last week. The letter explained that the Clarion Wells Fargo branch will be closing on August 17 at noon.
Wells Fargo opened in Clarion in 2001 when Brenton Bank merged with the larger company.
Wells Fargo’s corporate spokesperson Elise Corbett told the Monitor that closing the bank was “a difficult decision.” She indicated that Wells Fargo spends a lot of time monitoring foot traffic at their branches. She went on to explain that customers are more often using digital capabilities for their everyday needs. “Most transactions are happening outside of the branch these days,” said Corbett.
“We apologize for any inconvenience, especially since the next branch is a ways away,” added Corbett. The customer letter stated that the next closest Wells Fargo branch to Clarion will now be in Fort Dodge. It was also noted that the closing will not affect bank accounts and the company thanked customers for their business.
As of now, there are four employees at the Clarion branch who will be impacted by the closure. Wells Fargo said in a statement to the Monitor: “We have made the difficult decision to close the Clarion location. These are not easy decisions, and we don’t take them lightly. We understand the impact this will have on individuals at the company and will be very thoughtful and deliberate in our approach. We commit to communicating openly and honestly with impacted employees and provide severance, career assistance, and other services to assist them.”
The bank’s ATM will also be going away when the branch does.
